Up next: Tahquitz will play at Santa Ana Saddleback in the Division V quarterfinals today.

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The Tahquitz High boys soccer team is proving that a supposed rebuilding season can also include postseason success.

Less than a week after an upset of the tournament’s No. 2 seed, Tahquitz followed with a 1-0 win Wednesday over Arroyo Grande in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs.

“We are such a young team, but these kids are playing so hard right now,” Tahquitz coach Hugo Gorosave said. “They are finding out that there might be bigger and more experienced kids on the other team, but if they step up and play with heart, they can rise up and meet that challenge.”

The Titans scored the match’s only goal in the 26th minute on an opportunity created by a long throw-in by Eriq Rodriguez.

Rodriguez placed the ball nearly perfectly, directly in front of the net, where senior midfielder Mitchell Mendez headed it into the back of the net.

“We are real fortunate to have some guys with big throw-ins,” Gorosave said. “We work on it consistently. It’s a weapon that we possess, and we want to utilize it as much as possible.”

Mendez, who holds the school record for career goals with 24, has been the Titans’ main offensive threat in the postseason. The senior also scored the winning goal against second-seeded South Pasadena in double overtime last week.

“I like to go to the back” Mendez said. “When the goalie went to the near post, I saw that ball go right over him, and I was able to get a head on it.”

Added Gorosave: “He is a gamer who just figures out (how) to put the ball in the net.”

Tahquitz (12-8-5) passed its final test in the game’s final five minutes, when Arroyo Grande (15-10-1) launched an all-out offensive barrage.

The Titans’ defense stood its ground, though, as a scissor kick by Eagles goalkeeper Aaron Friedman missed wide just before the final whistle.

“Good teams pressure hard, and they were throwing absolutely everything they could at us,” Gorosave said. “If you want to win, you have to be able to make those defensive stands, and luckily we were able to do that today.”

Tahquitz advanced to the quarterfinals today, when it travel to face Santa Ana Saddleback, which defeated Fountain Valley Los Amigos 2-1 in its second-round match.

“In soccer, you can never be too confident,” Mendez said. “But I think the way that we are playing, we have a real good chance to make a deep run.”